Fishing reels, and in particular, fly fishing reels typically include drag systems that limit or restrict the rotational speed of a spool of the fishing reel. Drag systems are often used on fishing reels to vary the force required to pull fishing line off of a spool of a fishing reel as the line unwinds from the spool. The drag system also allows the user to rotate the spool in the opposite direction so that a user can retrieve the fishing line by winding the line back onto the spool.
It is also desirable that fishing reels, including fly fishing reels, can be configured for a right-handed user or a left-handed user. In order to provide this versatility in a single reel, the drag system needs to be reversible in that the direction of rotation that the drag system allows and restricts should be configurable according to the needs of the user. A right-hand retrieve configuration is a reel that is configured for retrieval of fishing line by a user that winds the spool using his right hand and a left-hand retrieve configuration is a reel that is configured to allow retrieval of fishing line by a user using his left hand.
One type of drag system includes the use of a one-way bearing. One-way bearings, however, have several disadvantages. One-way bearings can freeze in cold weather and can become brittle when exposed to environmental conditions and contaminants. This, in turn, can lead to failure of the drag system. Drag systems that include one-way bearings also typically require that the one-way bearing be removed from a shaft on the reel, turned 180 degrees and reinstalled on the reel. This can lead to contamination of the bearing or even loss of the bearing if it is dropped during the process of reconfiguration. In addition, one-way bearings can be expensive and difficult to package within the space limitations of a fishing reel.
An improved fishing reel is needed that solves the problems discussed above and provides a reliable, adjustable and configurable drag system. It is, therefore, an object of the present disclosure to provide an improved drag system. Still another object of the present disclosure is to provide an improved drag system that allows for reconfiguration of the reel from right-hand retrieve to left-hand retrieve with fewer parts needing to be removed from the drag system. Still further it is an object of the present disclosure to provide an drag system that is economical to manufacture while providing reliability and ease-of-use.